Floor heating using low-temperature radiation based on electricity is a construction technology that has recently and attracted new attention. Typical heating elements include Nichrome wire, carbon fiber, and a plate-shaped heating element. All of the above-described elements have a function of emitting far infrared rays.
In Korean Utility Model Appl. No. 20-2005-37270 (Registration No.: 20-417945, Published date: Jun. 7, 2006), ‘Heating Apparatus’ (hereinafter referred to as the ‘first prior art’) filed on Dec. 31, 2005 by the inventor of the present invention, a heating apparatus, which includes heating wires, electric wires and connection members, and is configured such that the insertion portion of each connection member is provided with a wedge part for preventing a tip portion from being pulled out, was proposed.
However, in the first prior art, connection is achieved in such as way that a portion of the sheath of a electric wires is first removed, a connection member is connected to surround the conductor of the electric wire, high-frequency or ultrasonic wave heating is performed, the carbon heating element is melted by the heat that is generated by the high-frequency or ultrasonic wave heating when the carbon heating element of the heating wire is pressed by the tip portion of the insertion portion of the connection member press, and the tip portion is inserted into the heating element.
That is, the sheath of the electric wire is removed, one end of the connection member is brought into contact with the conductor, the other end of the connection member is bent to surround the conductor, high-frequency or ultrasonic wave heating to a predetermined temperature is performed on the connection member connected to the conductor, and the connection member is inserted into the carbon heating element.
However, the first prior art requires work for removing the outer coats of the electric wires in advance at the locations at which the heating wires are connected, and heating work after the connection members are connected to the conductors, and, in addition, separately requires connection work for inserting heated connection members into the heating wire, so that there are inconveniences in that the number of working processes is increased and in that a worker manually performs the individual processes.
Furthermore, the connection of the connection members is made after the outer coats of the electric wires have been removed, so that there is no effective means for preventing humidity and dust from entering through external covers.
Furthermore, in the case where the heating apparatus is used in such a way as to be buried in a floor surface or a support surface, the outer coats of the electric wires necessarily come into close contact with concrete that forms the floor surface or the support surface. Accordingly, if a crack in the concrete occurs after a period of time has elapsed, a problem occurs in that the outer coats of the electric wires, which are in close contact with the concrete, are also broken and, as a result, are damaged.